Booher's Rules of Business Grammar - Dianna Booher 2009
Without just cause
Miscellaneous matters
WITHOUT: WHAT IT CAN AND CAN’T DO
We build our highway systems much the way we build our sentences. Major interstates intersect with major highways, requiring elaborate overpasses, bridges, and on-and-off ramps. Minor roads also intersect with these same interstates, but they need less structured entrance and exit ramps.
Sentence construction follows the same logic; the links between the major and minor ideas match the roles they play. Words that link two major ideas are called coordinating conjunctions. Here’s an all-inclusive list: and, but, or, for, nor, so, yet.
Words that link minor ideas to the major ones (the way minor roads join the major interstates) are called subordinating conjunctions. Here are a few: if, although, until, because, unless, while, whether, after, before.
A common mistake is to use without as a subordinating link (a conjunction).
Incorrect:
Kilpatrick could not get a promotion without he spent some time in Europe.
Orilla will flunk the test for a pilot’s license without they change the criteria.
Without is not one of those bridges or linking words. It’s a preposition, like in, to, among, about, between, over, under, and by. Without cannot link two clauses (groups of words with a subject and verb) in a sentence. Use unless instead as the proper link.
Correct:
Kilpatrick could not get a promotion without spending some time in Europe. (correct because there’s just one clause—without is a preposition here)
Orilla will flunk the test for a pilot’s license unless they change the criteria.
Incorrect:
Fritz couldn’t fly to Chicago without he asked his wife.
Correct:
Fritz couldn’t fly to Chicago until he asked his wife. (corrected by using a different link)
Incorrect:
Ebeneezer cannot make a sale without he brags to everybody on the team.
Correct:
Ebeneezer cannot make a sale without bragging to everybody on the team. (correct because there’s just one clause—without is a preposition here)
Memory tip
Without is without the power to link main ideas (clauses).